Careers in Music

“Audio Engineering” is a broad category of career opportunities because there are many types of audio engineering positions related to or dependent on audio engineering skills.   “Production” is the umbrella under which audio engineering often exists. The legal and business consequences of making sound recordings of songs and compositions can lead to a multiplicity of careers. Below is a list of possible careers and employers, as well as entrepreneurial opportunities. This list is not exhaustive, as the industry is continually growing and changing.

Potential Careers in Sound:

• Audio recording engineer for recording studios, venues, churches, theatres, schools, audio books, podcasts, live recordings
• Second engineer – recording studios, et al
• Audio editing for all types of recording
• Audio mastering engineer
• Equipment nanufacturer (consoles, mics, speakers, amplifiers, outboard equipment, etc.)
• Maintenance and repair of equipment
• Broadcast engineer for radio, television, podcasting
• Live Sound Engineer – Front of House and Monitor Engineers for venues, churches, production companies, corporate events, all types of music events, public events, festivals, concerts, ballet, plays and musical theatre, weddings
• Live Sound Mixer – touring, all live music
• Sound Designer for video games, movies, events, art installations
• Acoustician – designing rooms and other spaces for sound reproduction
• Sound effects and audio for film and TV – music supervision, film scoring, Foley, ADR (Automated Audio Replacement)
• Archival sound restoration
• Electronic engineering and technicians
• Audio installations for venues, tours, stadiums, churches, home studios, studios, museums, restaurants, clubs
• Music technology educator

Potential Careers in Music Production:

• Beats producer
• Songwriter
• Film scorer
• Composer
• Recording producer
• Live event producer – festivals, tours, venues and other events
• Touring – logistics, production, staging, lighting designer, sound
• Festival production
• Music Supervisor for film and TV

Potential Careers in the Music Industry:

• Venue manager
• Recording studio owner or manager
• Music publisher – dozens of positions, from A&R to licensing to marketing and distribution
• Recording company – A&R, marketing, licensing, distribution, et al
• Artist management – manage the businesses of artists, including their recording studios
• Agency – book tours and concerts
• Business management
• Lawyer, accountant, business manager
• Video producer, camera operator, editor
• Music marketing
• Entrepreneur – run the businesses you make when you create sound recordings and songs
• Performer – the hard road!
• Promoter – become one or work for one, like Live Nation or AEG

Potential Employers:

• Recording studios
• Churches
• Schools
• Production companies
• Radio and TV stations
• Corporations that produce events, like Nike, or Amazon, or Google
• Music publishers
• Record companies or labels
• Production music libraries
• US Military
• Video gaming companies
• Music streaming companies
• Movie and film studios and production companies
• Music merchandisers
• Music instrument makers
• Instrument and sound system rental companies (backline)

Entrepreneurship:

• When you create/author a sound recording, you create copyrights.
• When you create copyrights, you have the right to publication.
• When you have the right to publication, you become publisher, a business.  Copyrights are assets that generate billions of dollars a year and as a publisher of songs, recordings, movies or books, the “author” is a small business, an entrepreneurial venture.
• If you are in a band or want to create your own recordings as an artist, you are acting in an entrepreneurial manner. You could benefit from knowing and understanding your rights under Federal Copyright law.  A band or an artist is a business because what they create makes them a business through the operation of copyright law.  It’s not enough to just make the music and its rights.  It’s not even good enough to be great at it.  It’s necessary that you understand how to monetize your passion for music in order to keep making it!

Conclusion:

At Tweed Recording Audio Production School, we will prepare you to choose your career and train you in the skills necessary to be successful in your choice.  We will cater our instruction to our students, training you in audio and framing your skills with the understanding of their business and legal consequences.  You can not only be a recording engineer, you can be a recording company, a music publisher or the manager of a recording studio.